Tour de France 2011 Stage 9: Issoire - Saint-Flour 208 km

[Arnout]

Sammy Sanchez should attack next downhill just for the fun. Although he is a lot more careful now that he has a child.

 

[Publicus]

So who didn't make the split? And do they get ST if the group doesn't come back together?

 

[sportzchick]

So who didn't make the split? And do they get ST if the group doesn't come back together?

so far AC and Cadel is safe I believe

EDIT - see shelcks and Thor there as well

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

My new hope for this tour is that Samu gets podium

 

[Jamsque]

The gap is coming back down, and the stage has NOT been neutralised so stop panicking.

 

[funnytanlines]

JulietMacur Juliet Macur
Dave Zabriskie also crashes out today, with a possible head injury. The unlucky Christian Vande Velde crashed too. No word on his status.

* from twitter

 

[The Hitch]

and samu sanchez, he seems very strong to me

Way too far down.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

Zabriskie, Brutt, VDB2, Vino, Willems, Txurruka and Poels

I think the supposed retirement of Willems was a misidentification of VDB2: don't think OPL lost 2 today?

 

[just some guy]

So who didn't make the split? And do they get ST if the group doesn't come back together?

Coming back together and only if its fränk or Andy

 

[El Pistolero]

My new hope for this tour is that Samu gets podium

It will be hard not to if he doesn't crash badly. Some nobodies could even podium at this point as I still don't have much faith in Basso and Cuddles.

 

[Gubby Allen]

4/1 on bet 365 at the moment that the winner of the stage will come from the peloton.

 

[Ramira]

My new hope for this tour is that Samu gets podium

If he's not injured (and I don't think he is) he's got a great chance for that. I think unless Andy and Alberto get in trouble the third spot is between him Evans and Frank (and if he is back on form after the crash Basso).

 

[Arnout]

Way too far down.

Oh come on Hitch. He should just stay on his bike and go on the attack. The ease of his finish yesterday shows he's in good form.

 

[Zoncolan]

these idiots don't deserve to catch the break

No, it was the right thing to do. Soft pedal for a while, and then continue racing. Unlike last year when they neutered a stage.

 

[Jamsque]

The gap is well within Sherwen's Law, anything could happen. If they ride fast enough to bring it back I'm not sure Thor will be able to follow.

 

[GroupDK]

Frank schleck a true survivor.

Hes normally the first to hit the DNF..

amazing survivor capabilitys..

 

[ggusta]

OK, we are racing again now. Panic over.

until there is a descent in damp conditions apparently. my larger concern is that canc. seems to be that willing to openly tilt the terms of racing in his team's favor in ways that no one else seems to. it's a rather one sided view he has of etiquette, imo.

i'll shut up now. i am not here to cause a fuss.

 

[Ramira]

I think the supposed retirement of Willems was a misidentification of VDB2: don't think OPL lost 2 today?

Nope, VDB2 has a rib injury, Willems has a broken Collarbone, they're both out.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

So the race is on, they might even catch break. A lot of riders was behind, so you can't really blame the peloton for slowing down. They solved tis perfectly IMO.

 

[Maxiton]

Way too far down.

2 1/2 minutes. Depending on how things (or riders) fall, he could make that up in the high mountains.

EDIT: The operative word being could. IOW, too soon to count him out completely, IMO.

 

[Franklin]

Luck of the draw dude. Again, you recognize names. So what?

Name another Tdf where there was not carnage in the first week. You have 30 years experience. Name One. You can't. End of.

I can't now can I? Let me show you 2000:

Stage 1: 0
Stage 2: 0
Stage 3: 0
Stage 4: 0
Stage 5: 0
Stage 6: 1
Stage 7: 2

Well, don't you look silly now?

 

[Arnout]

2 1/2 minutes. Depending on how things (or riders) fall, he could make that up in the high mountains.

Only on the number one. Less on others.

 

[PedalCastro]

This sucks.. all these crashes.. My fantasy team is in dissaray.. VDB2 was looking very good. Sucks

 

[Delicato]

AC looks kinda weird. I would say that crash was more serious than it looked like.

 

[The Hitch]

I thought he went down but not hard - maybe I´m wrong Hitch ?

Did he crash? When?